Jolynn Johnson Smith

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Jolynn Johnson Smith is a seasoned staffing and recruiting professional with more than 20 years of experience working for an array of companies, including GE/Genworth Financial, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and numerous consulting firms. She also worked for NBC TV, radio at the corporate offices in Washington, D.C., and Philip Morris, USA on its production management team. Jolynn hails from a distinguished tennis family. Her father, Robert W. Johnson, Jr., is a retired tennis professional and former tennis coach at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Jolynn is the granddaughter of the late Dr. Robert Walter “Whirlwind” Johnson, who was notably one of the early mentors and trainers of outstanding African American tennis professionals, including Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson.

Jolynn sits on the board of the Whirlwind Johnson Foundation, created to preserve the legacy of her grandfather, which includes restoring his home, a historic landmark, the tennis court and garden. Jolynn continues to play tennis recreationally and is a former USTA Middle Atlantic ranked tennis player. She earned her bachelor’s degree in TV and Film as well as a master’s degree in Mass Communications from Howard University.